Quiz: The Fine Wines Quiz: HowStuffWorks

The Fine Wines Quiz

About This Quiz

Do you know a Bordeaux from a Burgundy? A rioja from a Riesling? A pinot noir from a pinot grigio? Then you should have no problem scoring master sommelier on this quiz!

Where is the noble grape variety tannat grown?

northern Spain

southwestern France

southern Italy

Tannat is best known as the dominant grape variety in Madiran and is also planted in other French regions in the southwest.

Advertisement

What is the most important black grape grown in the Loire Valley of France?

cabernet sauvignon

cabernet franc

merlot

Cabernet franc is grown in the Loire Valley because of the cool inland climate..

Advertisement

How many Michelin-starred restaurants are there in the Bordeaux region of France?

five

10

more than 10

The Bordeaux region currently has 37 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Advertisement

Which important Bordeaux grape is also widely grown in France's Loire Valley and New Zealand's Marlborough region?

sauvignon blanc

chardonnay

merlot

Sauvignon blanc has long been used to make world-class wines from Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. But in recent decades, it's also become a favorite to New World winemakers of New Zealand.

Advertisement

In which year did Bordeaux become a UNESCO World Heritage site?

1999

2007

2015

Bordeaux was named a World Heritage Site in 2007 for being an outstanding example of the exchange of human values over more than 2,000 years. This is due to its role as capital city of a world-famous wine production region and the importance of its port in commerce at regional and international levels.

Advertisement

Which is NOT a wine region in Germany?

Saar

Franken

Rulander

Rulander, also known as pinot gris, is a grape varietal, not a region in Germany.

Advertisement

What is the French term for a vineyard's microclimate, soil, drainage and exposure?

terroir

paille

brumeux

Terroir is the word that rolls vineyard attributes such as microclimate, soil, drainage, altitude, aspect, exposure and slope into one.

Advertisement

In Australia, the blend of the three most prominent Rhone varieties is sometimes abbreviated GSM. What does that stand for?

Grenache-Syrah-Merlot

Grenache-Syrah-Mourvedre

Grignolino-Syrah-Merlot

Grenache-Syrah-Mourvedre blended wines, commonly known by the acronym GSM, are a specialty of the southern Rhone Valley in France and New World wine countries like Australia.

In hot climates, the grapes' acidity level will drop and the sugar level will increase.

Advertisement

A traditional small French oak barrel holds how many liters?

300 liters (79 gallons)

88 liters

225 liters

The barrel holds 225 liters and is referred to as the traditional Bordeaux oak barrel.

Advertisement

Historically, Chianti is packaged in a fiasco. What is a fiasco?

a wide-bottomed bottle encased in a straw basket

a wooden keg

a tear-shaped bottle

Chianti is historically associated with a squat bottle in a straw basket called a fiasco.

Advertisement

Wines from the Burgundy region in France are almost always made with what grape?

chardonnay

pinot noir

cabernet franc

Pinot noir is a thin-skinned grape variety that is notoriously difficult to grow.

Advertisement

What does the term "crianza" on the label on a bottle of rioja mean?

The wine was produced using old vines.

The wine was aged for two years, with at least one year in oak.

The wine was aged for three years.

By law, crianzas must spend at least one year in oak barrels and cannot be sold until two years after the harvest.

Advertisement

What does "AVA" stand for?

American Viticultural Areas

All Viticultural Areas

American Viticultural Appellation

American Viticultural Areas are appellations defined by federally recognized growing regions or political boundaries, such as the name of a county or state.

Advertisement

True or false: The Champagne region of France was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

true

false

The region includes sites where the method of producing sparkling wines was developed on the principle of secondary fermentation in the bottle.

Advertisement

The Rioja region in Spain is primarily known for growing what red grape?

tempranillo

garnacha

chenin blanc

The main grape in the Rioja region is tempranillo, but vineyards also grow garnacha, graciano and mazuelo (carignan).

Advertisement

Which wine region in Spain was the first to receive official appellation status?

Rioja

Basque Country

Catalonia

Anything from the Rioja region is labeled "Rioja <i>Calificada</i>." Rioja is the only Spanish wine able to use the term "<i>Calificada" </i>on its label, an appellation created by royal decree in 1902.

Advertisement

What country produces sherry?

Spain

United States

Portugal

Jerez is the town in Spain where sherry is produced.

Advertisement

Which county in California has the most vineyard acreage?

San Joaquin

Napa

Sonoma

While you might think it's either Napa or Sonoma, it's actually San Joaquin.

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Get smarter every day! Subscribe & get 1 quiz every week.

Playing quizzes is free! We send trivia questions and personality tests every week to your inbox. By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our
privacy policy
and confirming that you are 13 years old or over.